Never Meant To Be
by MissRachel14
Summary: Hermione looked up, and stared across the lake. Everything she fought for was won, but everything she longed for could never be.


**A/N: This story takes place after the Battle of Hogwarts, except it is during Year 6. **

**I hope you like it!**

**Never Meant to Be—A Dramione Story**

The rain fell, drenching her huddled form. She sat by the expansive lake, the rain falling faster. Dead bodies were around her, and she hid her face in her hands, not wanting to see the people she knew and loved, dead. The end was here, Voldemort dead. But the sorrow had just begun. Tears fell thick and fast down her face, the night sky pouring out torrents of water. She could hear people's screams, and cries as they found yet another loved one dead. The dead were all heroes, people she never thought would die.

Hermione looked up, and stared across the lake. Everything she fought for was won, but everything she longed for could never be. His face flashed across her mind, and she bent over, crying once again. He had changed, was her first thought, but her friends would never believe her. She had to learn to be content without him. Knowing she never could be, the sobs became louder. To a passerby it would look just as if she was mourning over a lost loved one, and in her case, she was. He was lost to her just as the Weasly's had lost Fred. But it was more painful, knowing he was alive and she couldn't ever have him.

She cried for Lupin, Tonks, and Fred. She cried for Ron, and Harry. She cried for Ginny, Luna, and everyone killed by Voldemort. But most of all, she cried for him. Draco Malfoy. Her one and only true love, the one she could never have. Their time together was short, too short. They had one summer they spent together, with no one else knowing. Hermione stared across the lake as she remembered,

_A knock was heard at her parents home in London. Hermione went to answer the door. Opening the door, she saw Malfoy. "What are you doing here?" she asked, not at all expecting her worst enemy to come to her home._

_"I wanted to say I'm sorry, for everything. I was a jerk, and I came to realize that my parents are wrong. I never liked making fun of you, you know." Draco stared at her shocked face, and turned to walk away._

_"Wait!" Hermione called, "It's okay. I never really gave you a chance to be nice. I had my fair share of rude comments as well." She smiled softly._

_Draco smiled a real smile, "Can I write to you?"_

_Hermione nodded, and that started their strange, forbidden relationship._

The rain began to let up a little bit, and a slight breeze chilled her. But she couldn't go back inside to all the mourning families. She would rather mourn in solitude. The wind blew her hair back, and another memory of that wonderful summer entered her mind.

_"Jump! Come on Hermione!" The beautiful blonde boy shouted, as he swam to the other side of the dock._

_Hermione braced herself on the edge of the dock, and leaped, screaming. A splash was heard, and Hermione bobbed back up, and started to laugh. Draco swam towards her, and they began splashing each other with the cool water. Hermione soon swam back to the dock, and climbed on top of the wooden platform. Draco followed, his hair in his eyes. Hermione lay on her back and let the warm summer sun dry her off._

_"What are you doing?" Draco asked._

_"Drying off," was Hermione's reply._

_"Without a towel?"_

_Hermione laughed, "Yes without a towel! It's much more fun this way."_

_Draco lay down on the dock beside her, and they talked for hours._

This was the way their summer days were, laughing and having fun, ending the day with a few hours of talking under the stars, until a few days before sixth year started. Draco didn't come to her house one morning, and he didn't write. Everything changed after that.

Hermione silently cried on the edge of the lake, the rain pouring down, mourning with the wizarding world. The tears came faster now, and she cried for everything she had lost. Hermione wanted to run away from this mess, but she knew in her heart she couldn't just leave. Her friends needed her, especially now. Footsteps were heard behind her, coming closer. Hermione ignored them, thinking it was Harry, trying to get her to come back inside, out of the rain. As far as she knew, he hadn't known she had left the Great Hall. A hand touched her shoulder, and she turned around to stare at a boy she didn't want to think about.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Hermione shook her head, and he pulled her up, into his arms. She stayed there, her body shaking with sobs, and Draco Malfoy held her, stroking her hair. He hadn't done this in a long time, and Hermione realized as she was crying, how much she really missed him. Soon the sobs became quiet, and only the silent tears were left. "You know I never wanted to leave you."

"I know," Hermione whispered, just as quietly as he had. "I know Draco. I never wanted you to leave me either, but I knew it had to be done."

Draco nodded sadly, and pushed her away slightly, so he could look her in the eyes. Their faces only inches apart, he kissed her. It was a kiss full of sadness, longing, hope, and fear. Hermione kissed him back, never wanting it to end, never wanting to go back to the real world. They broke apart and Hermione spoke. "Do you realize we never can be together? Not after everything that's happened."

"I know darling, I know." Draco pulled her towards him again, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I love you. Never forget that."

"I love you too." Hermione replied, knowing this might be their last moment together, something she would never forget. Closing her eyes, Hermione wished they could stay like this forever.

"Hermione!" Hermione's puffy bloodshot eyes opened, and Draco kissed her forehead, then left her standing in the rain. Harry ran up to her, just as Draco disappeared around a grove of trees. "Hermione, why are you out here in the rain?"

"No reason. I just needed to be alone."

"Well come back inside and warm up. Mrs. Weasly sent me to find you."

Hermione nodded, and began to follow Harry up the grassy lawn to the Great Hall. She looked back one last time to see Draco's blond head peeking out from the trees. He smiled sadly at her, and more tears ran down her face. All she wanted was to run back to him, to have him hold her in his arms once again. She knew it could never be, and she turned back around to enter Hogwarts.

**A/N: How did you like it? Review! :)**

** I am thinking of doing a short one-shot of Draco and Hermione's summer? What do you think?**


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